Hailing it as a major milestone in the development of unmanned aircraft, the DRDO, on 1 July, conducted the first flight test of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator at the Aeronautical test range in Karnataka’s Chitradurga.
DRDO scientists have said that the test is a major milestone in their efforts towards developing an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) or a combat drone which is of flying wing type.
The flying wing type of aircraft refers to a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which houses its payload and fuel in its main wings and does not have a defined fuselage-like structure found in conventional aircrafts. The design, scientists say, has the potential to deliver high fuel efficiency and stability, if executed with precision, as demonstrated by some advanced bombers in the USA.
The Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator is a precursor to an autonomous stealthy UCAV being developed by the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), primarily for the Indian Air Force. A deck launched version for the Indian Navy is also said to be in the pipeline. The UCAV will be capable of launching missiles and precision-guided munitions.
The vehicle is powered by a small turbofan engine. The airframe, undercarriage and entire flight control and avionics systems used for the aircraft have been developed indigenously.
